Target
by Aerilon452
Summary: Sam comes home from a mission and finds herself in the cross hairs of someone intent on killing her.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Carter comes home to find someone lying in wait for her intent on killing her. One phone call to Jack saves her life

Disclaimer: I own nothing of SG-1 or the characters.

Rating: M

Pairing: Sam/Jack.

**TARGET**

Carter had just finished the debriefing, headed to her car to drive home, and she had just pulled into her driveway where she sat in her car for a few minutes. An eerie silence descended over her and suddenly the primal flight response was triggered in her brain. A deep part of the hidden animal nature was telling her to run, to get out, and go somewhere else. Maybe she could head to the Colonel's early and spend some time with him before their Team Weekend. She already had her duffle in the trunk of her car so why not go ahead and head out to the Colonel's house? Jack wouldn't mind if Carter showed up early, but instead she climbed out of her car and headed to her porch with her standard issue 9mm in her hand. Still she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, of being set up for some sort of trap. For a few minutes the soldier in her warred with the scientist. Logic screamed that there was nothing wrong; that she had just come back from a vicious fire fight and her brain was still in combat mode. But the soldier felt that something was off kilter and naturally the soldier won.

As quietly as she could manage Sam unlocked her front door and made sure to note if anything was out of place, but she saw nothing. Everything was as she left it, the lights were out, the door was locked, and the windows were shut and secured. So, why was she feeling liked a trapped rabbit? Nothing on the surface gave the casual observer a reason to be afraid, but she was. The fear was clawing at her throat; it was the soldier in her keeping her body calmed and relaxed, yet tensed and ready to fire. Trying to push the fear away she shut the front door and then she made her way to the kitchen. Sam was half way there when her instinct told her to find cover and the best she could do was behind the couch in her living room. It was better than nothing. She silently slid the chamber back and made sure there was a live round ready to be fired. Then Sam pulled back the hammer and waited for her target. It wasn't any one thing that made her senses go on alert; it was the general quiet of her house, almost like it was too quiet. Taking a chance Sam pulled out her cell phone and called the one man she knew she could count on.

"Carter, you better not be calling to cancel," Jack said in lieu of a greeting.

"Jack, come and get me…" A floor board creaked, "There is someone in my house," Sam whispered. Only when they were away from the mountain did she dare call him 'Jack', and right now she was not about to call him Colonel. The woman in her was terrified; it was the soldier keeping her together.

Before she could disconnect a shot rang out, slammed through the couch, and grazed her shoulder. The searing, ripping pain jolted Sam into action. Leaving her phone behind Sam made a mad dash for the kitchen to use the center island for cover. She slammed her back into the lower cabinets and readied her gun, waiting for the shooter to try and corner her.

Jack had looked at the caller ID and thought it odd that she should be calling him when he was so near to her street for his nightly check to make sure she got home safely. This had been his habit for nearly a year after they had been ousted as to the nature of their feelings for the other. He thought she was calling to cancel, but he should have known better. When he heard the fear and panic in her voice Jack picked up speed to get to her house. Then he had heard the gun shot and her cry of pain. It was lucky that he had stuck with his nocturnal habit or Sam could end up dead. Putting his foot to the gas Jack sped through the empty streets to Carter's house.

The pain in her shoulder was marginal compared to the horrendous amounts of fear she was choking on. If she could a pace to this shadow enemy then she wouldn't be afraid. She would face her adversary head on and come out the victor. But this wraith moved in and out of the shadows making her fear stronger. If she could get to the lights she would turn them on, but that would require her to be put in plain sight again, and the same went for the back door. That was her only avenue of freedom. All she had to do was hang on, hang on until Jack showed up. 'Come on Jack, where are you?' Logically she knew it would take him twenty minutes to get here from his place. So she was in for a long wait.

On the heals of the deadly silence that had descended in her house Sam her the unmistakable sound of foot steps; heavy foot falls that belonged to a man of 6'0 and a man who had to be roughly 210 pounds. Each step was measured, careful, almost leisurely. He was in no hurry and Sam was. She was in a hurry to flee or to defend herself. Though, the defending would be hard considering her wounded shoulder. "Samantha, come out, come out wherever you are," His voice danced along the night and slithered over his skin making her cringe. He sounded cold, cruel, and calculating. If the foot falls had not confirmed him as a man then the voice did. Sam grit her teeth and readied her gun. Sliding around the island she tried to make out his shape in the dark. He moved with the shadows, seemed to be apart of them almost. But she found a part of him to shoot at. At the same time she fired he aimed at her as well. His shot glanced off the counted about her head, but her shot had found its mark in his shoulder. Sam ducked behind the counter again and listened to him growl in furry. While Carter regrouped her front door banged open and another shot sounded loudly. It wasn't from her gun and she knew it wasn't from his gun. Another player had joined this little party and she was grateful. Looking around the corner of the island again she saw her would be killer down on the floor; he was still breathing. "Carter, get out of here!"

Carter thanked the universe for sending Jack to her, or for sending her to him, however it worked she was grateful. She bolted for the back door and unlocked it making a mad dash for the front yard and the green F250 that she knew would be parked out there. As she scrambled across the lawn Sam reached out her bloody right hand to the handle and again was grateful for the unlocked truck. Sam hopped inside and waited for Jack. Two more shots rang out and with each one Sam jumped. Her body was tense and adrenaline fueled. When the driver's door opened, it was pure instinct that had her aiming her gun at Jack when he tried to climb in. She was that shaken and still in the grips of fear.

"Carter?" Jack reached out his hand and took Sam's weapon from her hand as he climbed into the cab. Rather than reach out to her, like he desperately wanted to, Jack brought the truck to life with a roar and sped off into the night getting her far far away from her would be killer. While he drove Jack released the hammer and ejected the clip from her 9mm that he had taken from her. Turning the gun upside down Jack slid the chamber over the seat and popped out the round she had chambered.

**15 MINTUES LATER:**

Jack pulled over on the shoulder of the interstate that took him to his cabin. It would be the safest place for Carter until he could get her to the mountain. Right now he didn't want to take her there, even though it was more secure than his cabin, Jack still wanted Sam where he could watch her. This weekend was Team Weekend and having her friends with her would help a whole lot more than being cooped up underground. Jack kept his truck running but the killed the lights. When he turned to Cater he saw that her knuckles were turning white and she was rocking back and forth slightly. She was still terrified and Jack didn't blame her.

He and Carter had been through many battles, countless captures, and whatever had been thrown at them together and yet during all of that he had never seen her more afraid than she was sitting in his truck. Jack didn't blame her. Someone was lying in wait for her in her own home and they had been intent on killing her. After he had told Sam to run he had taken aim at the black clad guy again, but the coward ran for the back door and Jack had enough time to get a few shots fired off, but they didn't hit him. Jack bolted or the front door in time to see Sam get in his truck, but so far no sign of the assassin. Jack had shot him in the leg and how fast could someone be running with a leg wound. Rather than leave Sam alone any longer he high tailed it to the truck and sped off.

"Carter?" Jack asked and for the first time saw the blood that was dripping down the shoulder of her torn jacket. One of the man's bullets had grazed Sam's skin. That settled it when he found that man Jack was going to kill him in as many ways as he could devise and do all those ways at once. He reached out and cupped the back of her head. Sam tensed but relaxed when she knew it was him.

Sam knew it was jack when he touched her but she couldn't stop her body from tensing. Though, she did calm enough to notice her surroundings. They were parked on the shoulder of the interstate that led to Jack's home. 'Team Weekend' he was taking her to his house. Sam was so grateful for that but she couldn't form the words to tell him so. Al; Sam wanted to do was cry and she wanted to do so from the safety of Jack's arms. She knew he would offer her the comfort she sought, they were alone and it was the dead of night, no one to see them breaking the rules. Sam couldn't get past the thought that someone had tried to kill her. But that was part of her job, people. Jaffa, tried to kill her on a daily basis when she was in the field. Nothing made her more afraid that to realize that someone had breeched her defenses surrounding her home to wait for her there. Never would she have thought that something like this could happen to her.

Her eyes were stinging with unshed tears. Sam knew if she were to actually cry Jack would pull her into his arms, well as much as he was able and let her cry, let her tears fall until there were no more to cry. It was what she wanted to do but instead the soldier in her steeled itself against the sorrow and the fear and just sat there with Jack waiting for her answer. "I just want to go somewhere safe," The fear she was fighting eked through in her words causing Sam to wince.

"I'll take you to my place and I'll bind your shoulder for you." Jack said as he turned back to drive his truck back down the empty road to his house. Even in the dead of night he scanned for cars that seemed to be following them. He just wanted to get back to his place and get Sam taken care of. At least when he was at home he knew every access point and knew what was where. He could protect Sam there.

"What?" Sam asked and turned to look at Jack's profile.

"You got shot Carter." Jack replied and momentarily took his eyes off the road to stare into hers momentarily.

Sam turned away to look out the window and watch the night fly by. She didn't want him to see the remnants of fear that still lingered in her eyes; she knew fear still lit her eyes. Placing her hand under her wound Sam said, "I nearly forgot I was shot," Blood dripped onto her knuckles, warm and sticky. It never hurt until she looked at it and now it was killing her. But at least she wasn't feeling so scared now, not now since she was with Jack. Now she was on her way to his house and Jack was going to take care of her.

**JACK'S HOUSE:**

Sam stood on his porch with Jack standing behind her. She reached out her hand and let it linger over the door knob; her hand was shaking furiously. Jack saved her again when her again when he reached out and opened the door for her. The front room was bathed in light, no shadows lingered. The hand that Jack used to open the door now rested on the small of her back. He didn't urge her inside; he only stood with her and waited. Sam's heart was pounding in her chest and her blood was rushing in her ears. She knew there was nothing waiting there to shoot at her, it was only Jack and his house. Taking a deep calming breath Sam stepped inside his house

Jack knew the fear she had to be going through. He was patient and let her walk in when she was ready. When he had his front door shut Jack motioned for Sam to go into the kitchen. He had to take care of her shoulder, if it only held for the weekend. Cater shed her jacket and peeled off her black sweater to reveal a deep red tank top that blended in with the wet and dried blood rolling down her left arm. He wanted to sigh in relief that the wound wasn't as bad as he originally thought. "Hop up on the counter," Jack patted the only clear counter space.

Sam looked at him and then looked the space he patted. It was near the sink and that made sense since her arm was bleeding and he had to clean it out. She moved up onto the counter top slowly and angled her body so that her wounded shoulder was towards Jack. Out of nowhere he pulled out a bottle of antiseptic, antibiotic cream, and gauze. Sam watched as he wet a towel and dabbed at the graze. It stung and the pain served to shove her fear down farther until she felt that it was locked tight in the box where it had come from. The burning in her shoulder seemed to last forever and then came the cool comforting feel of the antibiotic cream. Last came the gauze and her wound was covered. But she didn't want to get off the counter just yet. Her legs were shaky, tears were welling in her eyes again, and she had to get herself under control. And then Jack's arms were around her, solid and warm and real offering her the comfort that she had wanted since sitting next to him in his truck. Sam felt all her steel crumble like sand and her tears started to flow. "It's ok, you're safe." He whispered over and over to her. Sam wanted to believe it, but somehow she had a feeling that the guy who had shot at her would keep trying until either she was dead or he was, and she preferred that he was the one who ended up dead.

Jack kept his arms around Sam as he moved back so he could pull her of the counter and get her to the guest bedroom. But instead of Sam standing under her own weight they both fell to his kitchen floor with her still in his arms. "We can't spend all night on the floor," Jack muttered but he was content to stay with her on the floor for as long as she wanted.

"Thank you, sir." Sam spoke into his shoulder.

"Carter I think after this you have earned the right to call me Jack, after all you did so on the phone." Jack joked and felt Sam chuckled.

"Thank you, Jack" Sam repeated and felt the exhaustion hit her again.

Sam knew better, she should get up but she was so tired; emotional exhausted. Somehow she found the strength to sit up and wait for Jack to rise with her. She knew where he was going to put her. Jack was going to show her to the guest room and it was there that she could fall into the bed and try and sleep this nightmare away. Standing up Sam swayed but Jack put her arm around her waist and steadied her. Together they walked down the short hallway and another feeling of warmth washed over her when she saw the familiar bed and smelled the familiar smells of Jack's house. It finally hit her; she as safe and she was with Jack.

"I'll find you something to sleep in," Jack whispered and left Sam's side.

When Sam turned to ask him not to go jack was already gone. She belatedly remembered that she had left her duffle in the trunk of her car. Being alone in Jack's house, in his guest room, didn't make her panic, but she was still shaky. She wanted Jack near and she wanted him to watch out for her during the rest of the night. Before she knew it jack was at her side again and he was handing her a giant USAF t-shirt that smelled like Jack. Sam took it and smiled as she slipped past him to change in the bathroom.

Sam came back into the guest room to see Jack settled in the big recliner. Eh was kicked back and relaxed with a flannel throw blanket thrown over him. The bed was turned down and the lights were down low. There was no way she could handle sleeping in the dark. But Jack was here and she had to remember that. Without saying anything Sam crawled beneath the covers and tried to sleep, tried to settle her mind and put this episode behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

Summary: Carter comes home to find someone lying in wait for her intent on killing her. One phone call to Jack saves her life

Disclaimer: I own nothing of SG-1 or the characters.

Rating: M

Pairing: Sam/Jack.

**TARGET**

**THE NEXT MORNING:**

Golden rays of light sliced across Sam's face bringing her back to consciousness. For a few minutes she forgot where she was. Opening her eyes Carter saw that she was surrounded by Jack's belongings. She rolled over and saw that Jack was gone, but she smelled coffee. Rolling back to her right side the clock radio read 10:30am she had slept for eight hours. If she wanted to she could force her mind to fall back to sleep and try and sleep away her weekend; it would be so much simpler but she wasn't about to do that. Her shoulder hurt and her stomach growled. Climbing out of bed Sam padded down the short hall to Jack's cluttered kitchen to see him holding out a cup of coffee to her. Gratefully she took it and sipped the first glorious hit of caffeine. Sam knew she was still in Jack's shirt; it hit her mid thigh and rode up slightly higher when she leaned against the counter as she continued to sip her coffee.

Jack waited a few minutes before saying, "I called Hammond and apprised him of what happened. He made some calls and we have full jurisdiction. Hammond wanted to whisk you back the base and keep you in the quest quarters with guards and camera's, but I told him that you would be safer sounded by your team. For the moment he will accept us protecting you. Right now we have the cops pacified for now, but they might want a statement from you. Hammond would have told them by now to check hospitals for a man with two gun shot wounds." He looked at Sam and saw the first waves of fear wash out the rest of the color of her face. Jack paused for a few seconds and then continued, "Daniel and Teal'c will be here soon and they'll have your duffle."

"Did you tell them what happened?" she asked. Sam took another sip of coffee though she didn't have to; it was just something to do. And right now she needed a lot of mundane tasks to keep her mind from circling back to last night, to the fact she was shot at, and that someone wanted to kill her. She thought she knew fear. Going into battle came with fear, but this was terror. And she was unaccustomed to terror.

"All I said was there had been a break in and you shot the guy but he got away," Jack replied and he saw Sam relax.

"They're going to want to know more and I want to tell them." Sam nodded. They were her team and there was no greater comfort than you team. Soon Daniel and Teal'c would be here and then her comfort zone would be reinforced.

"Carter, you don't have to relive it," Jack set his coffee cup down and turned to look out the window. His anger was still riding him. Someone dared shoot at Sam, his Sam.

"I think after everything, you've earned the right to call me Sam," She echoed his earlier words and tried to smile, but it was weak and it was all she could muster at the point. Sam was surprised that she could smile at all.

"How's your arm?" Jack asked and continued to stare out the window.

Sam flexed her shoulder and was surprised to find that the wound wasn't as bad as it should have been. All the pain she would have thought that it had been a deeper wound but when Jack had been cleaning it she had seen the shallow cut. It just had bleeding like a more serious wound. "Its better, thanks for cleaning for me last night." The smile was still plastered to her face, weak as it was.

Jack turned back to her and saw her smile. He knew she was trying; that was all she could do after last night. Right now he wasn't seeing the sleep tousled Sam which he would have found sexy; he was seeing the terrified bleeding Sam of last night. Even though her shoulder wound had not been serious he still felt the over powering need to hold her and make sure she was still here with him. In three strides he was to her, taking her coffee mug and setting it aside, and he pulled her into his arms. Last night when he had tried to sleep all he had seen was her afraid. Jack had seen so many sides to his Samantha, but never had he seen outright fear. Her arms snaked around his waist and held onto him just as tightly as he was holding her. If he had been a few minutes later Jack could have found her dead instead of just wounded. And that thought scared him more than all the battles they had been in together. All he wanted to do right now as hold her and make sure she was still here, still alive.

"They should know," Sam whispered. They were a team and they were a family of sorts. She spent most of her waking hours with the three best men in the universe net to her father. Daniel was smart, Teal'c was wise, always listening, and there for her. Jack, well, Jack was always there with words of wisdom in his own way and she loved him more than she had loved anyone else. I was why she knew she could call him and he would be there, but how had he gotten there so quickly.

Jack leaned back, keeping his arms around her more for himself now than for her, "They should be here by noon. So…" He trailed off and looked to her attire. She couldn't be in his USAF shirt when the boys got here. As his eyes tracked back up to her Sam looked down and nodded.

Pulling out of his arms Sam went to the entrance of to the kitchen, but stopped and turned back, "How were you able to get to my place so fast?" That was the one thing she had yet to figure out. How was Jack able to get to her house so fast? The only thing that she could think of was that he was near her house to begin with. But why would he be driving near her house? He lived twenty minutes in the opposite direction. Right now she was not going to complain; she was only going to be grateful that he was close.

Jack looked away, looked out the window, and then looked back to Sam. He had just opened his mouth to answer when someone knocked hastily at his front door. Instead of answering he pointed in direction of the door and made a quick escape to answer it. Jack wasn't ready to tell her that he would pass by her house when he left the mountain just to make sure she made it home safe and sound, even though he lived twenty minutes in the opposite direction from the mountain.

The knocking continued up to the point when Jack reached out for the handle and then the sound stopped. It was utter silence on the other side. That didn't leave Jack with a good feeling; he grabbed his side arm from the small of his back. After what happened to Sam he was not about to be caught unarmed. Jack pulled back the hammer and held the gun at his side as his right hand reached out for the door knob. In one quick motion Jack had the door open but no one was there. Distantly he could hear the sound of retreating foot steps, but what caught his eye was the nig white box with Sam's name on it. Stepping over the box Jack closed the door and circled around his house checking for tracks or anything that could be construed as tracks. Heaving a sigh Jack moved quickly back to the porch to find Carter standing in the door staring at the box and she was still wearing his USAF shirt. Gone was her light teasing and back was her look of fear.

"Sam, just get back inside, don't open it." Jack moved back to the porch as he holstered his weapon.

"What if it's from him?" Sam asked but moved back as her CO told her too.

"Sam he couldn't have left it, the guy is bleeding." Jack crouched down and studied the box making sure that it wasn't booby trapped.

"He could have paid someone to deliver it," Sam shot back and sank down to her knees so she was level with him. Without waiting for Jack to finish checking it she opened the box. Inside were dead red roses with maggots and beetles and worms. Sam jumped to her feet and backed inside the house. Her fear was rising again. Why was this happening to her? Why now?

Jack pushed the box off the porch with his foot and went immediately to Sam pulling her back into his arms. She was crying again and her warm tears soaked into his shirt. When he found this guy Jack was going to kill him, dismember the man, or take the man off planet and leave him on a planet with Unas. As he held Sam close Jack heard a car pull into his driveway and come down his lane. "That's Daniel and Teal'c. We'll get this guy, I swear."

"How would he know I would be here?" Sam asked though her tears. This was turning into a nightmare really fast and Sam wanted to run, just go through the gate and head to a friendly allied world.

"It means that he has been watching you for a while. We'll catch him…" Jack trailed off and turned, with Sam still in his arms, towards Daniel and Teal'c who were driving up in a black unmarked Sedan. Sam just held him and let silent tears fall.

Hey guys, what's going… on?" Daniel asked when he climbed out of the sedan. While they were still in the SUV all the archeologist saw was two of his friends half dressed hugging on the front porch with a large white box toppled off the side.

Sam looked at Daniel with red rimmed eyes and said, "Someone is trying to kill and or stalk me. You saw my house right? Well that guy was waiting for me when I came home," Tears feel from her eyes again; the stress and fear were getting to her. She wasn't used to this, used to the fear and the danger that dogged her footsteps. Right now she would much rather be tortured at the hands of the Goa'uld or be in a dog fight with and Jaffa contingent than be stalked.

Daniel stepped up onto the porch and placed his hand on Sam's back right above Jack's arms. This was not the sort of thing that he thought would happen to one of them, let alone Sam. Major Samantha Carter was a strong, tough, capable woman who fought and flew in the Air Force and now she appeared to be a frightened woman. It was not something he thought he would ever see from Sam.

Teal'c stepped up to the porch in time to hear the Major's words. He felt anger and rage at the man who dared threaten his friend. "We will find this man Major Carter." Teal'c said as he too put his hand on Carter's shoulder. This was what she needed. She needed the familiarity of friends and those who cared for, and loved her.

Sam smiled a watery smile and said, "I know you guys will," Sam sniffed and did the one thing she wanted; she rested her head back on Jack's shoulder and just felt the unity of her team, her family.

Sam stood with the guys for a few more minutes on Jack's front porch until she felt secure enough to let go. Again she thought, 'Why is this happening to me?' But how could someone successfully stalk her when she was barely home, barely on the planet. It would have to go back months, if not a year and a half. It had to at least be that amount of time. Most of the time she would just stay at the base and sleep in one of the guest quarters if she was making head way on a project that was time sensitive. She felt more at home in BDU's than in anything else she wore. She was a soldier and that was who she had to be now. Sam had to push aside her fear and get angry, use some other emotion and fight back. Of course that was easier said than done. It was easy to get angry; easy to cool off from the anger. But the fear was insidious; it crept in and latched onto your mind with razor sharp claws that refused to let go. The only thing that was keeping her ground was the presence of her team and the feel of Jack's arms secured around her waist.

Back inside the house Jack, Daniel, and Teal'c sat in the living room waiting for Sam while she was getting dressed and they knew she needed the time alone to center herself and reorganize her thoughts. They didn't say a word. What could they say about this? Teal'c was stoic and he was listening for any other signs of an intruder. Daniel tapped his fingers together or he pinched the bridge of his nose. Jack just sat and looked out at the trees in his yard while he waited for Sam. Right now Jack was going back and forth between worrying about her and getting angry on her behalf. He knew she was still too scared for the anger yet, but when she did get angry then would be killer had no chance in hell at survival.

**SECLUDED CAMP GROUND:**

Karl Grove had managed to get back to his rabbit hole before he took any more bullets. This hunt was turning out to be more of a bargain than he would have thought. But right now he had to regroup and take care of his wounds which he was sure were more serious than the single shot he had used to scare her with. As it stood right now he had to fish out the one in his shoulder and then the one in his lower thigh. He couldn't risk a hospital as his wounds would be a signal to the police. It had been shear happenstance that the other guy had missed the major artery in his leg. There wasn't supposed to be another person there; it should have just been Samantha. She should have been alone. His research had concluded she was a scientist, but what he saw of her was not an oblivious scientist's habits; no he had seen the keen awareness of a soldier. But he had wounded her and then her next logical step would be to run for the outside, try to escape, and then the hunt would begin. But no, someone had shown up and ruined his fun. Now to ensure his hunt he would have to frighten his prey into running. The box he had sent to her other frequented location should be there by now. When he had seen her two years ago he knew she would give him the hunt of his life. She would surely have run to the friend's house, the friend who had shot him in the leg. If Karl had the chance he would hunt the friend as well.

Karl gritted his and dug the forceps into the bullet wound of his shoulder. The pain was unimaginable, but he did not scream, he would not scream and give away his position. New, fresh, blood poured from his wound as he dug for the bullet. By rights he should be in a hospital, but if she called the police then they would be looking for previous cases and they would surely find them scattered around Colorado. A few more seconds of probing his wound yielded no bullet. Karl had to wait a few more minutes before trying again or he would pass out from the pain.

**BACK AT JACK'S:**

Sam took her time getting dress as scenes from last night played out. The soreness in her should had abated somewhat but she dared not take the bandage off. Where the bandage didn't cover she saw bruises break out from the gunshot wound. She shook her head and turned back to the bed to collect her clothes. Slowly and deliberately Sam took even more time pulling on her clothes. Everything that happened so far seemed to have happened to someone else. She didn't know the frightened woman who had coward in her love's arms, but when Sam looked in the mirror again that was all she had seen. She had seen the frightened woman that bore no resemblance to the strong, tough as nails, independent soldier that she knew herself to be. "Is this what happens when fear touches your life?" Sam asked her reflection and knew she would not get and answer.

"Sometimes, but then the trick is to pick up the broken pieces and reform you life… or some sage like wisdom to that effect."

Sam turned to see Jack standing in the doorway with his hands in his pockets. She could see the lines of anger that still marred his face, but at least he was here with her. He was keeping her close because his senses told him not to let her go, or at least that was how she saw his actions. Sam deeply loved Jack but because of their rank and position in the SGC she knew that anything more would be a hazardous affair to deal with. But right now she was just his Sam so she walked straight into his arms and whispered, "Jack."

"Don't worry Sam, we'll get this guy and he will face justice. Or we could put him in the middle of a Unas den and let nature take its course." Jack suggested and he felt Sam giggled in his arms. That brought back the memory of them in Antarctica. They had to sleep under one thermal blanket to conserve body heat and that had been hard for him with broken ribs and Carter had been sleeping nearly on top of him. Still, it was a nice memory despite the pain involved.

Sam moved back and asked, "I still want to know how you got to me so fast."


	3. Chapter 3

Summary: Carter comes home to find someone lying in wait for her intent on killing her. One phone call to Jack saves her life

Disclaimer: I own nothing of SG-1 or the characters.

Rating: M

Pairing: Sam/Jack.

**TARGET**

Jack sighed and scrubbed his hand over his face. He knew that he would have to tell her; he just thought it would be a lot later than right now. Turning from her he tried to pull his words together, what little words he had in his mind to use to convey what his intentions were. When he had started to drive by her house it was supposed to only be a few times a week and scattered months apart, but sure enough he found himself driving by every time they left the mountain after a mission. Jack turned back to her and said, "You remember last year when we were questioned about the whole Zanex…"

"Za'Tarc." Sam quickly corrected him with a smile. She knew her colonel's penchant for getting names wrong and it amused her.

"Whatever, well it was after that I wanted to make sure you got home ok…" Again he ran his hand through his hair and sighed. Images of her last night would stick with him for a long time to come. "If I had been ten minutes more…" Jack trailed off. He did want to think about what could have happened had he been any later. That time gap had been plaguing his mind and it kept him up.

Sam didn't know whether to be touched or angry. Jack, her Colonel, would drive by her house. How was that supposed to make her feel? Though, right now she was feeling protected and having him so close last night. "Sir, I'm not sure I know how to feel about that," Carter took a step closer to him and touched her hand to his shoulder. "But right now, I'm so damn happy that you were that close. I don't know what would have…."

"If I had been just ten minutes later," Jack turned cupped Sam's face and continued, "I could have been watching you being zipped into a body bag." There he said it. He gave voice to his fears and he watched as the tears filled her eyes again. Taking the liberty he had been the last hours she had been so close, Jack pulled Sam securely into his arms and gave her the security she needed right now.

Those were thoughts that were in his mind when they went out on missions, but last night had been the closest he had ever come to those fears being reality. It was always possible that one or both of them could be killed. He knew going in that he would inevitably end up falling in love with Carter. She was more intelligent than he was; she had deep blue eyes, and the brightest smile; it was even brighter than the sun. Jack did anything, well what was in his ability to give, to make sure that she kept smiling like that. Jack steeled himself for what he would see in her eyes as he once again looked at her, looked at the woman he loved and the woman he knew he would die for. Instead of seeing anger, rage, Jack saw happiness, or at least some small part of her was happy. There in the shadows of her eyes he could see the first flickers of anger, but he doubt that it was for him. No, he suspected that the anger was for the man who tried to kill her.

"I want him dead," Sam whispered and once again took shelter in Jack's strong arms. He held her so carefully; almost like he was afraid she would break, shatter, into a million pieces that he would never be able to repair. Sam had never wanted anyone dead before, but now she did. She not only wanted the man dead for shooting her, but for lying in wait to kill her. If she didn't have the strength to kill him then she knew Jack would be there to pull the trigger. He was Special Forces and he wouldn't hesitate even if she faltered to follow through on her threat, her promise of death.

"Don't worry, we'll kill him," Jack assured and placed a light kiss to her temple. He wanted to assure her of her safety with him, wanted to make sure she understood. Jack would do anything and he would try and be anything she needed right now. If he needed her to be her friend, then he would. If he needed a commanding officer, then he would be that. If she needed his as a lover, then he would be that. Too long had he gone without her and this only proved more to him that he could no longer exist without her in his life. Jack didn't know if he could live in a world where Sam ceased to breathe.

**LATER THAT EVENING:**

As night fell Sam, Jack, Daniel, and Teal'c all sat outside and tried to just be friends and not dwell on what had happened. The three men had assurances from Hammond that if any revelations were found they would be the first to know. For now that pacified Jack and allowed him to focus more on Carter. Right now Daniel was talking about some new planet in the cosmos that had a civilization close to that of the Sumerians. Teal'c added information when Daniel paused for breath, which was few and far between. Sam gave off the appearance of listening, but she kept scanning the darkness, kept listening to the sounds of the night rather than listening to Daniel. It was her soldier's response and Jack could see she was on high alert trying not to panic. She had been fine but as soon as the sun started to fall then her senses went on alert. Every so often she would glance at the tree line and then quickly look at her friends. Where had all of her calm resolve gone? Where was her steel? Right now felt like every other woman in America who had had a break in happen to them. She just wanted to be Sam Carter again, not this freighted woman who his in the shelter of her Commanders arms. Not that she didn't mind being in the Colonel's arms.

"There is no one out there but the small nocturnal creatures Major Carter," Teal'c said interrupting Daniel. He had seen the distress on his friends face and knew is for what it was; she was drowning in fear, but hiding it. Major Carter was a strong woman, but a man had invaded her home and intended to kill her. Now his friend was drowning in fear. It hurt his heart to see her so consumed.

"I know, but…" The excuse died on her lips and she lowered her head. Then she said, "I'm not very good company tonight."

"Sam, were here for you," Daniel rose from his lawn chair and walked over to his friend. She had been there for him in the aftermath of his wife's death. It was his turn. But even if it wasn't he would still be there for Sam. She was his family. Sam gave him a sad smile but nodded. Daniel moved back and sat in his seat once again. He wanted Sam to know he was there, but he didn't want to crowd her either.

"You guys are the greatest." Sam stated and not because she wanted to assure them she was ok but because they were. She loved her team, her family, and she loved everything about them. Sam loved when Jack and Daniel would get into their little sarcastic arguments that weren't really arguments and she loved the way Teal's looked out for them all. After that they all sat in silence. The only noise was the sound of Jack's lawn chair moving closer to Sam's. For a while they all lingered in silence and watched as the stars came out of the clouds and just enjoyed being together as a team and as friends.

The night soon grew cold and drove them back inside Jack's house where everyone said good night. Daniel camped out on the couch and was instantly asleep; Teal'c chose a spot in the shadows to provide his own brand of security, while Jack and Sam headed down the hall where they spilt off to sleep in different rooms.

Jack knew that he wasn't going to be able to settle long enough to stay in his own room. When he was sure things were quiet he would slip into Sam's room and take up his place in the recliner and watch over her. So while he waited he paced as he was sure Sam was doing until he came through the door. Jack knew that even if he slipped through his bedroom door as quietly as he was able Teal'c would still hear him and know what he was doing. Did he care? at the moment, no he didn't. In his mind was Sam and what her needs were. That was all he cared about right now, it was all he could care about. If he had to he would submit his resignation and then he would go from there. Jack knew there was no logical way he could keep his job and have Sam all at the same time; unless there was he just hadn't found it yet. But that could wait, right now was Sam and finding the man who wanted to kill her for whatever whacked out reason's freaks like him killed. 'Sam.' Making up his mind Jack went to his door and found Sam waiting on the other side. The tears were back but she was fighting to keep them from falling. Knowing what she needed Jack moved back and allowed her into his room. She was being brave when she didn't need to be with him. If she would let him he would shelter her from all the fear she was feeling right now. Jack had never wanted to be this tender, not with his ex-wife, or with any other woman he had ever had. But with Sam, it was something she drew out of him in slow amounts. Jack O'Neill was supposed to be this tough as nails Colonel who made the tough calls and sarcastic comments. And yet with Samantha so close he was finding himself wanting to be tender, to be soft and yielding with her to suit her needs in the moment. It was all Jack could think about, she consumed him and he knew he would let her continue to do so if it meant keeping her happy. Jack died a little each time he saw the fear rise in her eyes. What he wouldn't do to keep that fear from her.

Sam had tried to be in the guest room with the darkness closing in on her. But the fear rose again even though she did her best to beat it back. In the end it had driven her from her room and propelled her to stand in front of Jack's. Just was she was about to knock when his door opened and there he stood with the moon light cutting across his face. The tears gathered again and she fought so hard not to let them fall, but if they had Jack would just wipe them away and whisper to her that it was ok, that she was ok and no harm would come to her while she was in his embrace. Jack moved aside and gave her room to enter. Without hesitation she went immediately to his bed and curled upon top of the covers. She was surrounded by his scent and the warmth that was his bed even though se doubted he had considered sleeping in it. A soft glow illuminated the modest bedroom as Jack joined her. He moved in front of her and curled on his side facing her. The light that surrounded them made his eyes almost glow as if he was some sort of jungle feline watching his prey. She didn't feel like his prey, she felt like his woman, his love. And if things kept on the way they were, then soon she might end up his lover. It was something that she wanted, but what would it cost her. Would it cost her SG-1? Would it cost her working at Cheyenne ? As long as she could have Jack, did she care? She cared and she was the slightest bit greedy. She wanted SG-1 and Jack at the same time and there had to be a way to have them both. When this was over, the guy was in custody or dead, Sam would return to her life and try and find a way around being Jack's 21C so she could be his lover. She so desperately wanted to feel his touch, feel his kisses, and just feel his body next to hers while she slept. It was something she had thought about after returning from Antarctica , after she had to sleep so close to him or risk freezing to death. He was the reason she resisted other men, resisted Martouf, and why she had resisted Narrim. Plain and simple, they weren't Jack and that was who her heart had settled on; Jack O'Neill, often clueless but always had a sarcastic comment to offer.

Jack saw the want in her eyes; saw the need to be held. Shifting closer to her, much closer than he had been, Jack draped his arm over her waist and signaled her with a light squeeze to move into shelter of his body. He hadn't realized that she had been shaking when she walked in, but he could see it now, he could feel it. As soon as she was back within the circle of his arms the shaking stopped and her breathing evened out. Sam had fallen asleep. Jack rested his chin gently on the top of her head and was asleep within minutes.

**MORNING:**

Dawn ascended in the heavens painting the sky red and then he saw the first rays of yellow with a brilliant blue sky. Jack watched through the window while Sam still slept. During the night there had been a few times he had been brought out of sleep by her tossing and turning. She hadn't been having nightmares; it was just what she did. Jack knew her sleeping habits from various missions that had lasted more than a day. And he made sure to watch her last night when he had brought her home. While she slept off her fear Jack had been watching her, watching over her. Right now Jack was on his back with Sam curled so tightly into his side he thought it would only be a matter of time before they became one being. This was the best time in his bed he had in a while. If he could remember the time he was cuddled under thermal blankets with Sam better then he would have said that that was the most fun he had had. Of course he had had a broken leg and broken ribs so he barely remembered anything.

Two sharp knocks, "Hey Jack we're out of…. Whoops." Daniel walked through Jack bedroom door and came to an abrupt halt. If he had had a brain in his head in the morning that was not fueled by the first hit of coffee Daniel would have realized or sensed that Sam would be in Jack's room. She had always been closer to him than anyone else and Daniel knew that, or at least he should have remembered before barging in. and yet he wasn't prepared for the look of Sam and Jack curled up together on top of the covers.

"Daniel, get out," Jack pointed to the vacant hall and gave Daniel his 'I'll kill you' face to reinforce the order. Daniel said nothing; he only left the doorway and left them alone.

"Mmm," Sam shifted; she was fighting sleep. She didn't want to wake up. But if she woke up them she could smile at Jack and she could enjoy being held by him for a while. It was quiet, so quiet, that Sam could hear the beating of her and Jack's hearts. The sound was soothing and was lulling her back into sleep. But that was not for today. Somewhere close the sound of a phone was ringing. Jack shifted away from her with a curse and answered with a rude, "What?" though, he quickly changed his tone in a hushed whisper. He ended the call with a "Yes sir." Jack closed his cell phone. Sam watched as he turned to her and gave her a knowing smile.

"I knew you were awake," Jack whispered and jerked his head towards the shower. He was going to get ready and so should she for the trip to the mountain.

Once at the mountain SG-1 gathered in the briefing room and waited for General Hammond. Jack knew they had found information regarding the man who was going to kill Sam and they had also found information in related murders in Colorado State. Beside Colonel O'Neill Sam's hands were shaking. She wasn't ready to see the face of the man who would have killed her; she couldn't look, but she knew she had to face it and figure out a way to trap him or kill him.

Jack moved closer to the table and took Sam's hand under the table to still the shaking and lend her some of his strength. After they were finished with the General he would make sure she would go down to the infirmary and have Janet check her shoulder. The bandage he had put on was beginning to show blood. He was sure Janet would do a vastly superior job in tending to Sam than he could, at least in the medical sense. Jack pretty much had the hang of holding Sam and whispering her words of comfort when she needed to hear them.


	4. Chapter 4

Summary: Carter comes home to find someone lying in wait for her intent on killing her. One phone call to Jack saves her life

Disclaimer: I own nothing of SG-1 or the characters.

Rating: M

Pairing: Sam/Jack.

**TARGET**

Carter stiffened next to Jack as the face of the man who wanted her dead appeared on the screen. Under the desk he took her hand and leant her the strength she needed to stay in her seat and not to run. She wanted to run, to flee the briefing room and take Jack's truck back to his house so she could crawl under his covers and attempt to hide. But she had to face her fear, face the picture of the man who wanted to kill her. Sam tried to drag a breath into her body; the air seemed unwilling to fill her lungs. Jack squeezed her hand tighter and some of the tension lessened, but not enough. Wrenching her hand from his grasp Sam got up to pace and look away from the photo up on the screen. She would have thought that Jack would come over to her, try to calm her, but it was General Hammond who was to reach for her.

"It's ok Major, we'll keep you safe." His comforting voice stilled her raw nerves even more. The General was a friend of her Father's and she had known in since she was a child.

"Thank you sir," Carter turned and gave him a smile. She moved away from him and took her seat next to Jack again.

Sam had to keep it together, she had to stay strong even through the face of her would be killer was staring back at her. Turning form the General she walked calmly back to her seat next to Jack and waited for the information to be given. She could do this, she could get through this and she could defeat this man. Again, as before, Sam reached under the table and took Jack's hand and tried to not to squeeze too hard. Though, she knew her Colonel wouldn't complain if she did.

As more information began to show Sam felt the bile rising in her throat at the sight of other crime scenes. This was what would have happened to her had she not had the right military and off world field training. Again, if she had only listened to her instincts she wouldn't have a bandage on her arm. 'And you never would have slept in Jack's arms last night.' Sam shook her head and fought back the wave of nausea, but that was a losing battle. Before anyone knew what was happening Sam was up and out of her chair flying down the stairs. She had to get to the nearest bathroom. The images of so many dead women would haunt Sam for months if not years. Right now she hated herself for being so weak, to allow this to get to her. She was a battle hardened soldier who has seen much worse. But right now she was a frightened woman who was the next target of a sadistic mad man who wanted to kill her. If she was going to have any chance at a normal life again then she would have to track down this man and kill him herself or she would never get past her fear.

Jack was out of his chair before he knew better than to stay where he was. Sam was in pain, she was frightened, and seeing those images was only making things worse for her. He was to the stairwell and had to force himself not to go after her. The three other men in this room were aware of how the Colonel felt for his 21C, but they trusted him enough to not act, not to make things more complicated than they already were. Right now, Jack wasn't sure if he could stop himself. His Sam was in trouble and he was the only one she turned to. She called him and no one else.

"Jack?" General Hammond placed his hand on the Colonel's shoulder much as he had done with Sam.

"Sir," Jack turned and looked into the eyes of his CO. Hammond was the only man who put up with him, well, besides his team and Sam.

"How bad off is she?"

"She's terrified. I've seen Carter stare down enemy Jaffa and not flinch. I've seen her in hand to hand combat and come out on top. But having someone invade her own home… I don't know how she will come to terms with that?" Jack didn't know how Sam would pull through this. Granted she was a soldier, she was tough and smart. But she hadn't been a soldier when she walked into her house; she had been Sam, just plain Sam.

"It would be a waste of breath to tell you to look out for her." Hammond stated because he new the Colonel already watched out for her.

"Yes sir, it would be." With that said Jack headed down the stairs to find Sam.

**SG-1 GEAR UP ROOM:**

Sam ran here. It was where she felt the most safe, the most secure. The minute she walked through these doors the need to vomit vanished and she became steady. She breathed in the scent of BDU's, boots, and the smell of dirt. Their last mission had them in the trenches for three days avoiding a Jaffa patrol. It turned out that the patrol was there to find them and it ended as it always did with a fire fight. Sam hated when ever she had to take a life, but it was ether her or the other person and she was always a lot fonder of herself than she was the Jaffa shooting at her. She knew that she couldn't stay here forever, just like she couldn't stay at Jack's place forever. Eventually she was going to have to toughen up and go back to her house. Though, if she did that now, she might have a mild panic attack before setting foot in her house. Again, she thought, how could others live with this kind of fear? How could they adapt to it? How was she going to adapt to being afraid over everything now? Sam knew that if she was to step foot through that Gate that she would be back to her old self, back in the role of the Major, the soldier, and she would only think about protecting her team and surveying the terrain for hostiles. But the minute she came back, she would be a bundle of nerves afraid of every shadow around her.

"Carter?"

Sam moved out of the shadow and stepped into the light so Jack could see her. She didn't like hiding, she didn't like hiding here on the base, and not where she knew she was safe. But here she was hiding in the dark corner so no one would see her. "Colonel?"

"What are you doing in the corner?" Jack stepped further into the room.

"Bouncing back and forth between anger and fear. I don't know how people deal with it." Sam shrugged and sat on the bench in the middle of the room. Being afraid was making her tired and it was still the middle of the day.

"You'll get through this and I'll be there with you. I'm not a man to spout wisdom, but…" O'Neill started to say, to try and make her feel better.

"You're smarter than you act sir." Sam interrupted. It was true, Sam always believed that. She saw things in him that other people missed or mistook for cynicism.

"No, I'm really not, one too many hits to the head." Jack automatically replied.

Sam smiled and then laughed lightly. That was her Colonel. She knew she was safe to do this; Sam rested her head on his shoulder and let his strength seep into her. Sam needed him more than she had needed anyone in her life. Jack had always been there for her no matter what happened, no matter if it was against the regulations. SG-1 always defied he rules, why should they stop now?

"Come on, we should get Doc Frasier to look at your shoulder." Jack commented. All he had done was put a field dressing on it, but he was sure it would need proper medical care beyond his basic knowledge.

"Will you go with me?" Sam asked as she stood up. She was still going to cling to him, cling to his strength for as long as she could and for as log as he would let her.

**INFIRMARY:**

Janet watched Sam come in with Colonel O'Neill and she instantly felt better knowing that her best friend was with him. Word had traveled at the speed of light that someone had tried to kill Carter. Most, if not everyone, wanted that man dead. Everyone worked in trying to find out who he was and it had been Janet to do his DNA test. What she had found on the man chilled her blood. But just looking at Sam now with O'Neill made Janet feel better, not much, but better than she had been before seeing Sam.

"Hey Sam." Janet greeted with a smile.

"Janet," Sam scooted up onto the gurney and took off her t-shirt. The bandage she wore had blood seeping through and was in desperate need of changing.

"The guy managed to do this to you?" Janet asked. Instantly she was the doctor again and assessing her friend's wound rather then waste time on small talk.

Janet removed the gauze and saw the wound beneath; a bullet would that could have claimed her friends life. This was more than enough to make her angry at the man who had done this. But she was also happy that the Colonel had been so close. The wound itself had been well cleaned and bandaged properly but there was a shard of something still in laceration. Reaching for tweezers Janet gently extracted a splinter of wood, "How did this manage to end up in your shoulder?"

Sam looked at the wood and was instantly rocketed back to the night before when she had used the couch for cover. She closed her eyes against the tears that suddenly welled in her eyes and felt anger that all she could so is cry. Why wasn't she acting like the soldier she had conditioned herself to be so she could compete with all the men around her? "I used the couch for cover when he shot at me." Sam flinched when Janet pulled out another small wood splinter. She had had no idea that they had even been in her shoulder. But then again she had been so exhausted and worn out that she had barely even noticed she was in pain.

"Oh, Sam," Janet set the tweezers aside and reached for the alcohol that she used sterile saline that used on flesh wounds. It would help the skin to heal faster. "This may hurt slightly." Janet whispered and didn't miss the way the Colonel moved to Sam's side, taking her hand in his.

Her wound stung, but Jack's hand in hers helped to beat back some of the pain. He as by her side had always been by her side and she loved him for that. She loved him for anything. But more than that she loved him for who he was. Sam wasn't ready for he second pass of the saline over her injured flesh. She sucked in a sharp breath and squeezed Jack's hand.

"Sorry," Janet whispered and finished tending her friend's wound. She put antibacterial salve over the wound and covered it with a fresh gauze bandage and tape.

"Thanks Janet." Sam smiled. Surrounded by her friends, her Colonel, she felt safe and secure. But when all was said and done, how would she ever go back to her house knowing what could have happened there? She slid off the gurney and put her shirt back on. Oddly enough her wound felt better. Sam had taken a few more steps towards the door when she turned and went back to Janet to give her a fierce hug. For a minute Janet was still and then she raised her arms up and wrapped them around Sam's back.

"Don't worry Sam, we'll find this guy and put him away for a long long time." Janet said when Sam pulled back. There were tears in her eyes and fear lingering in the blue depths.


End file.
